


Two Kittens

by hazeltea (madlovescience)



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 18:07:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11041476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madlovescience/pseuds/hazeltea
Summary: Otabek and Yuri are spending the off season together, when a stray kitten appears in their lives. Mutual pining and sugary fluff ensues.





	Two Kittens

**Author's Note:**

> Art by pinqo.tumblr.com

The month that Otabek first visited Yuri to train together was blessedly cooler than what he was used to, and so, he took advantage of the fact by taking long morning runs. This particular day was gloomy and overcast, and he knew that his best friend would be taking advantage of a rest day to sleep as late as possible. However, when he spotted the tiny calico cat in the alley of his building, he snapped a picture and sent it anyway. _He'll see it when he wakes up._

He had a response by the time he'd gotten out of the shower.

 **Is that your place? Do you have a colony? She looks too skinny. Is the mom cat there?** Yuri's questions came one after the other, bombarding his screen. He smiled to himself as Yuri launched into his second favorite subject. He could imagine the excitement in Yuri's expression as he fussed over the image, having witnessed it firsthand. One of the first things Yuri had shown him in the city was the colony of semi-feral cats that lived behind his apartment building. Despite living almost full time with Lilia now, he returned to visit several times a week. He maintained that he'd be there every day if some of his neighbors didn't also feed them. Yuri told him all of their names (insisting that the neighbors were responsible for the sillier ones), and all about their different personalities. To him, they were friends; perhaps more than most people were to him.

**I only saw the one. You think she's that young? How do you know it's a she?**

He could see the ellipsis blink as Yuri typed out an answer.

**They're almost always girls. They get one color from the mother and one from the father. Boy calicos have two X chromosomes and one Y chromosome, but they are usually sterile.  The orange fur is on the Y chromosome. So orange girls are rare, and also usually sterile too.**

Otabek grinned to himself. **You'll cramp your fingers teaching me about this by text. Tell me about it at lunch.  I'll check to see if there are more cats,** he promised.

\-----

"Well?" Yuri asked, as they settled into their booth at the cheap cafe they'd adopted as their default lunch spot. He flipped through the menu absently, though Otabek knew he'd decide on the order he'd already memorized.

"I didn't see any other cats on the way here, but I didn't see her, either. I'm going get some food for her." He resolved, and the softness that phrase brought out in Yuri's eyes was making his heart race faster. Yuri was always beautiful to him, but never more than when he was feeling passionate about something.  "Do you think she needs kitten food? Like milk?" He asked, suddenly concerned.

Yuri stared at the phone and shook his head. "She looks big enough for solids. Maybe get some canned food instead of dry, though."

"Will you go shopping with me?" He asked, and Yuri's eyes lit up.

"I'll show you exactly what to get."

As soon as they'd finished their lunch Yuri suggested a store, leading him by hooking a finger into the cuff of his jacket. These small, intimate gestures came easily to them, but Otabek still noticed each one, worrying that he'd be the one to initiate the one that would go too far. Now that he finally had his friendship, the thought of scaring him off tied his stomach in knots. But, in the meantime- he could hope, couldn't he? He could enjoy this gray area of affection between friends and lovers.

"-Beka." Yuri repeated. "Pay attention."

"Sorry." He mumbled, as Yuri pointed out the different packages on the shelves. "Potya eats this stuff. It's really high quality, but it's best for indoor cats. Outdoor cats need something with a bit more fat. This kind is good. Don't get that cheap crap. I think she still needs the kitten formula for the next few months." His expression grew troubled. "Keep an eye out for the mom cat and maybe other kittens. If she doesn't show up, someone might have abandoned her."

"I don't think someone would just abandon a kitten-" he protested. The thought alone horrified and angered him.

"People are assholes." Hissed Yuri. "She's lucky that she's got a guardian angel like you, now."

Otabek's  pride swelled at the compliment, and he was still grinning when he returned to his building that evening. He spooned the canned food into a bowl and placed it at the edge of the alley, and made a small clicking noise. Part of him was afraid that he'd scare the cat away, but the tiny thing came bounding out to greet him with an enthusiastic, small voice.

"Hey there, baby girl. Are you hungry?" He asked softly, squatting down a few feet from the bowl. The kitten pounced on the bowl, gobbling down the soft food in big gulps. She made content meows around her mouthfuls, and Otabek chuckled to himself. "Slow down, baby. You can have more."  He emptied the remainder of the food in the can into the dish a spoon at a time. Once she had licked the bowl clean, she chattered at Otabek, raising her tail in the air and bumping at his knee with her head. He carefully stroked her head, noting how delicate the bones were, and how prominent. "You won't go hungry anymore, okay?" He murmured.

The kitten jumped onto his knee. He scooped her up in his hands and stood. "Where is your family, hmm?" He asked. She began to purr, a deep rumble that seemed out of proportion from her small body. He stood in the alley holding her, until he began to feel silly. Eventually, he placed her down, and headed for the front. The kitten toddled after him.

"No, baby, I have to go inside now." He said, feeling uncomfortable at the thought of leaving her. "I'll bring you breakfast in the morning, okay?" He stepped inside, and rubbed his hands together as the heat of the lobby surrounded him. He was in the elevator when his guilt got the better of him. _It's too cold for a little thing like that._ _So young, and out there all alone without a family_. Swearing under his breath, he pushed the lobby button, and walked outside again.

It was starting to rain, and he found the kitten sheltering behind a discarded box. "Here, baby girl." He knelt, and held out his hand. She sniffed it, and rubbed against him. He scooped her up and carried her inside, resting her against his chest. Once inside, she seemed all the more grubby _. I need to bathe her. I wonder if she's got fleas?_ "Let's clean you up, okay?" He hummed, bringing her into his bathroom and sitting her on the edge of the sink. He half filled it with warm water, and gently lowered her into it, smiling at how she pulled out her feet and shook them. "This won't take long. I promise. It's okay." He settled on using some of his shampoo to work a lather into her fur, concentrating on her soiled paws. He drained the sink and carefully rinsed her before gathering her up in a towel. "There. Doesn't that feel better? I don't think you have fleas, at least. And look, your feet are white now, I thought they were orange." He kept his voice to a low, calm drone.

"Yura is going to love you." He mused, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. He sat on his couch with the bundle in his lap, watching her smooth down the damp fur he'd disturbed with her tongue. "He's got green eyes like yours. You've got beautiful eyes, baby girl. Just like my Yura." The kitten gave him a huge yawn in response, and blinked. Several seconds later, looking confused, she dropped off to sleep. Otabek gently removed the damp towel and held her in his lap.

 **I think I've been adopted,** he texted to Yuri. **Unless you want to keep her?** He sent a photo with that.

 **Lilia would KILL me. Potya has already bombed her entire place with cat hair. Velvet sofa's never gonna be the same again. Did you get her some stuff yet?** asked Yuri.

 **I fed her, and I think I have a box she can sleep in,** he replied.

**I meant a litter box and stuff. Never mind. I'll get it and bring it to you in the morning. We can do a half day of practice because this is important.**

Otabek smiled at that. **I'll make you breakfast.**

**Deal. Get some sleep, Beka. I want carbs btw.**

**Goodnight, Yura.** Otabek pressed a kiss to his phone before placing it down. He didn't remember when the gesture had ceased to feel ridiculous. Sighing, he placed it down and began to get ready for bed. He did have an empty box from his last pair of skates, and he padded it with a hand towel, placing it against the side of his bed.

"Time for bed, baby." He said softly, scooping up the kitten and settling her in the box before getting under his covers. He turned off the light, and listened to her shuffling around the box.

"Mewr?" He could hear her scuffling around the box.

"Shhhh. Sleep."

"Merewr." She insisted.

"Goodnight, baby girl." Otabek closed his eyes, reasoning that the darkness and silence would lull both of them to sleep. A moment later, he felt the blanket being pulled off of his leg, as the kitten clawed its way out of the box and onto the bed. Satisfied, she walked across Otabek's chest and sat, gazing down at him.

"No, baby. I don't want to crush you." He picked her up, but her tiny, sharp  claws snagged in the blanket, lifting it up with her. He tried to free her claws without hurting her, but she bit his finger.

"Ow. Okay. Okay. You can stay here, all right? Up by my head, though."

He made space for her by the side of his pillow, and stroked her fur until she settled into it, purring.

"You're determined. I admire that." He turned his head so that his nose brushed against her soft fur, and sighed into it. It was nice to have someone here with him, he realized. Even if it was just a cat. He recalled all of the nights he'd use music to fill the silent space, particularly pronounced after he'd spent the evening talking to Yuri. He'd lose himself in the music, and imagine holding Yuri against him, silken hair, plush lips. Inevitably, he'd feel lonely. It turned out that a little bit of company went a long way. He drifted into a contended sleep, his nose pressed against her side.

\---

The kitten began to cry out as Otabek opened a can of cat food and spooned it into a bowl. He gave it an experimental sniff and wrinkled his nose. "Yura said you'd like this." He said, doubtfully. "What do you think? This one's called 'Tempting Tuna Medley'. "

She responded with another impatient meow, and suddenly tiny claws were digging into his sweatpants. He watched in surprise and amusement as she scaled his legs, climbing up to his chest. "Hey, I'm bringing it down to you." He secured a hand under her, leaning forward to address her while trying to untangle her. She blinked and sniffed his nose, bumping against it. "Was that a kiss?" He asked, as he finally pried her loose and set the bowl down beside her. He'd have to trim her nails before they got out of hand, but he couldn't help but smile. "Nothing stands in your way." He said, fondly. "It must be a cat thing."

The key turned in the door. _There's my other kitten._ He crossed the room and held it open for Yuri, who was laden down with packages. Yuri's eyes widened and a high pitched cry emerged from his throat.

"Oh! You're so _pretty!"_ Yuri exclaimed, scooping up the kitten before even greeting Otabek. "Did you have a bath? Is Beka spoiling you?"

"I am." Otabek confirmed, closing the door and returning to the kitchenette. "How many eggs do you want?"

"One." Yuri said, his eyes on the platter of French toast already on the table. "I need room for all of that." 

Otabek shrugged and grinned. "You said you wanted carbs. "

"You're the _best,_ Beka. I'm keeping you. _"_

The kitten batted at his sleeve as he unpacked his shopping bags and set up the litter box. Yuri picked her up and put her inside, and Otabek could hear scraping sounds from under the lid. "They know what to do." He explained. "It's instinct. As long as you keep it clean, you shouldn't have too many accidents. Those are never accidents, by the way. It's always a message. Sometimes it's that they don't feel well and want you to notice. Sometimes it's a dirty protest, though." Yuri's eyes held that preoccupied look that always accompanied his explanations about feline behavior.

The kitten stepped out of the box, shaking her paws, and darted across the room.

"What's her name?" Yuri was watching her with an unusual softness in his expression.

"Baby." He replied, without thinking. He brought the rest of the food to the small dining table, and poured out two cups of coffee.

"Isn't that a bit generic?" Yuri frowned.

"But she is." Otabek held her up to his face and made a kissing noise. "Kiss kiss, baby girl." The kitten sniffed at his lips.

"Ugh, get a room, you two." Yuri began filling his plate, and then broke out in a giggle. "Your face!"

"What's wrong with my face?"

"Oh there we go. Back to the usual expression." Yuri's eyes gleamed and a small smirk lurked on the corner of his lips. "Lilia would kill me if she knew I was eating all of this." He added happily, reaching for another slice of French toast to add to the already impressive stack on his plate.

"It's the off season. And like you said, it's a special day. Not exactly her birthday, but..."

"Her name day." Yuri decided. "The day you became the luckiest kitten in the world and made this guy fall in love with you."  He leaned across the table to coo at the kitten in Otabek's lap, who was currently sniffing at the contents of his friend's plate.

"Do you really mean that?" Otabek asked, immediately feeling embarrassed as a spark of hope flared inside him.

"Yeah." Yuri looked away from his eyes. "I can't imagine anything better. Anyone, I mean. For her. I mean, you're going to be great for her."

 _Of course that's what he meant. Don't get your hopes up. Don't ruin the best thing that's ever happened to you._ Otabek had been blunt and forthright asking for his friendship, and to his surprise and relief, it seemed as though this approach worked especially well on Yuri. Despite that, he couldn't bring himself to speak so candidly about wanting more from him. It was just too risky. Now that he had him in his life, it would destroy him to let him go. He'd waited, and wanted, for so many years; from the not-quite-platonic longing of his adolescence to the raw desire he'd felt in Barcelona. Above all of his secret wants, he placed Yuri himself, his best and closest friend.

 Yuri looked up at him through his pale eyelashes in that way that made him weak, and Otabek sucked in his breath. "Yura..." He wished he hadn't said a thing. He didn't know what to say, now.

"I brought some toys for Baby." Yuri stood up abruptly, saving him. He sat on the floor with the shopping bag, pulling out brightly colored toys sporting bells and feathers.  Otabek joined him, setting Baby down between them.  She poked at the toys with her feet, and stuck her head in the bag.

"Watch this." Yuri smirked. He tapped the kitten's side to get her attention, then produced a laser pointer and pushed the button. Baby froze in place, her eyes on the shining red dot, and then, she pounced. Yuri guided the light across the room faster as she picked up speed and seemed to ricochet off a wall in pursuit.  "Get it, Baby!" He cheered, before handing the pointer to Otabek.

"Davai!" Otabek twirled the laser in figure eights, and watched her jump and flip. "Yura, she looks just like you."

"I'm going to assume that's a compliment." Yuri folded his arms sternly, but looked pleased.

"I can teach her your choreography." He mused, humming Yuri's exhibition music under his breath as he watched her skid on the hardwood floor in an attempt to catch the glowing dot.

"Shut up, asshole." Yuri laughed. "I forgot how much energy kittens have. Potya would be napping by now. He doesn't jump as high, either."

Otabek began to wind down the laser, not wanting to overexert her. Baby toddled over to them on shaky legs and collapsed on her side, resting, her little body inflating and deflating with her breaths. She gazed up at Otabek with an expression that he could swear was love, and slowly blinked her eyes at him.

" _That's_ a cat kiss. Not that other silly thing you guys were doing." Yuri made eye contact with her, and slowly blinked his own eyes, smiling when she returned the gesture.

"Like this?" Otabek turned to him, focusing on his brilliant green eyes and blinking his own.

"Yeah." Yuri blinked back at him, a slight blush crossing his cheeks. "Do you really think I'm like a kitten?"

Otabek arched an eyebrow, and picked up a toy he'd been fidgeting with. It looked like a tiny feather duster on a long stick. He tickled Yuri's nose with it, and grinned when he swatted it away. "Yes."

"Hmph." Was all that Yuri said, as he leaned back against the wall, taking the toy from him and twirling it in his fingers.

"I'm glad you are." Otabek confessed, pulling Baby into his lap. "I think... I think that she'll help me miss you less."

"In Almaty?" Yuri asked, shyly.

"Even here." He confessed. "It's... so easy to be with you, Yura. I've never met anyone like you. I thought that being your friend would be a challenge, because I always admired you so much, but it's not. I'm happy when I'm with you, and when we're not... I suppose I didn't notice feeling lonely before."

Yuri didn't speak at first, but nodded. "It's the same for me. I hate hanging up, you know. I hate when you have to leave. Next time, we should stay together. I didn't want to ask Lilia to invite you because she'd... be in our business." Yuri bit his lip, and hazarded a quick glance at him. "People assume things."

"Oh." Otabek tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice. "I wouldn't want to embarrass you."

"What? It's you I'm worried about!" Yuri pouted then, pulling his knees up to his chest.

"Me?"

"Yeah. Never mind. It's stupid." Yuri huffed.

"It isn't stupid if it bothers you, Yura." Otabek leaned closer. "What do you mean?"

Yuri looked trapped, and miserable. His fingers gripped tightly on the feather toy. "People talk. Online. About you and your Russian Fairy bitch." He spat out the last words. "I don't want to ruin your reputation. Your image. You're so...cool. And people want you. Girls want you."

Protective anger welled up in Otabek's chest, and got the better of him. "Never talk about yourself like that again. I'd be proud if that were true. If we were together."

Yuri looked up at him, vulnerable behind the practiced mask of annoyed indifference he defaulted to when upset.  "You don't have to say that, Beka."

Whatever good sense he had remaining left him at the sight of Yuri unconsciously curling up tightly on himself, defensively. "Yura. You're my best friend, and the most gifted skater in the world. You're incredible. There's parts of you that no one else gets to see, and I'm _grateful_ , Yura. If people want to talk! Well, I wish I were so lucky. It'd be more than I deserve!" The words left him in a fury, and he felt his heart sink as he realized what he'd just said. "I'm not going to be ashamed of being your friend, Yura. I'm not ashamed if people think it's more." He couldn't bring himself to walk back his words, which were the absolute truth, but if Yuri didn't feel the same... he might leave. _Please stay, Yura. I won't push my luck. I'm sorry._ _I can't imagine my life without you now._

Yuri looked up at him, his pale eyelashes damp. "I _like_ you, Beka." His voice was strained and gravelly. "I don't want to mess this up. You have to tell me if I'm messing this up."

 _Don't let this chance go. Don't let him go!_ Otabek summoned up the little courage he had, his heart pounding in his ears. "Would you let me kiss you?"

"What would it mean?" Yuri's voice was barely a whisper.

"As much as you want it to."

Yuri took a shaking breath, and nodded. He half closed his eyes, and leaned in, letting Otabek take the lead. Otabek pressed a chaste kiss to him with parted lips, before repeating it firmly, swiping the edge of his lip with the tip of his tongue. Yuri parted his lips, and allowed him in, a small, breathy sound emerging from the back of his throat. Otabek pressed a gentle parting kiss to him before drawing back, stroking his cheek gently.

"What do you want from me?" Otabek whispered. "I'll be anything you want me to be to you."

Yuri looked down, his fingers stroking Baby's soft fur as she snoozed in Otabek's lap. "I want to be your kitten."

Otabek grinned. "Oh?"

"Yeah. I want you to smile at me, and make stupid kissy faces, and... and, are you gonna be my boyfriend, or not?" Yuri raised his gaze to him then, determined, challenging, although there was fear in his eyes, as well.

"Yes, Yura. Please." A genuine smile broke across his features. "It's what I've always wanted." He drew him in for another kiss, this one slower and more relaxed. Yuri melted into his touch, leaning against him with a sigh.

"You should bring her to Lilia's, sometime. To visit." He mused. "I want her and Potya to learn to get along. She's still young enough to get used to traveling a bit. "

"Getting along for when we stay together?"

"Yeah. And after..." Yuri's ears were red, and Otabek couldn't resist kissing at the blush.

"I want that too, someday." He let himself imagine it, a small apartment with Yuri and the cats, his life settled and full of love.

"In the meantime, you have Baby." Yuri picked her up, kissing her head between the ears as she yawned. "But now... it's different, I think. When we aren't together. I'll know that you're thinking about me, and that I'm thinking about you."

"We can visit in the meantime..."

"I'll tell Lilia..."

"I don't care who knows, I'm so happy..."

Yuri looked pleased. " _Are_ you going to tell people?"

"If it's okay with you."

Yuri nodded, with a rare, radiant smile.

"Do you mind sharing your debut with Baby?" Otabek asked, pulling his phone from his pocket. "I want pictures of you both, and of us together."

"Go for it." Yuri held Baby up to his face, and pressed his lips into her cheek. Otabek snapped one picture, then another, posing with Yuri and Baby until he had over a dozen shots.  Yuri leaned against him as they picked the best ones, and he hummed in concentration as he uploaded them.

**I've been adopted by another kitten. Her name is Baby. #TwoKittens #MyLoves**

He handed the phone to Yuri, and the look in his eyes made him melt.

" _I'm_ the luckiest kitten in the world." Yuri confirmed, hugging Baby close.


End file.
